GARETH Barry pinpointed Martin O'Neill's three changes as key to the victory over Blackburn.

GARETH Barry pinpointed Martin O'Neill's three changes as key to the victory over Blackburn.

Chris Sutton, Martin Laursen and Gavin McCann all came in from the side humbled for the only time this season at Liverpool.

All three excelled in a convincing win with Barry heaping particular praise on Sutton.

He said: "Chris Sutton was magnificent. He moans about being old and stiff, but he puts himself about for the team and you can see why the manager has brought him here."

McCann was passed fit at the last minute after recovering from a calf injury, while Laursen made just his fourth start of the season.

Barry continued: "Gavin has been a big miss. We haven't picked up the same amount of points with him out of the team. He did brilliantly, although he was tired at the end.

"Martin did really well. He headed everything. We kept a clean sheet and a lot of that was down to him."

Barry was delighted to have notched his fifth goal of the season and his third in four attempts from the spot.

Four of those goals have come in the last five games and he said: "I'm delighted to have five goals on the board by early November. A lot can happen yet this season, but hopefully I can keep the goals coming.

"I thought about the one I missed against Leicester and you want to learn from your mistakes.

"I thought I'd go back to square one and once I saw him move, it was straight down the middle. As he went down he tried to get back, but he couldn't.

"The penalty came at an important time for us. It was the perfect time to score, just before half-time."